Golf balls are generally finished to put markings thereon, such as letters indicating trade names or the like, numbers, designed drawings and the like. Golf balls having been further required to put markings imparting high quality appearance or distinguished appearance to the balls. In order to satisfy the requirements, it is proposed in Japanese Patent Kokai Publication Nos. 114093/1999, 319147/1999 and the like that metal powder is formulated into ink for markings to give metallic lustrous markings on the golf balls.
In Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. 114093/1999, a golf ball having markings on the surface thereof is disclosed. The markings are formed from an ink composition containing pigment and metal powder.
In Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. 319147/1999, a golf ball having a mark of a desired pattern on the surface thereof is disclosed. The mark is applied with an ink composition containing a component, which can afford to develop luster.
However, since materials such as metal powder generally are inferior in dispersibility in the ink composition, there are problems that it is difficult to prepare the ink composition, and transferability of the ink composition by using a silicone pad is poor when the markings are formed by pad printing. It is required for the marking of the golf ball to have a sufficient durability to endure impact force from repeated hitting. However, since the dispersibility of the metal powder and the like is poor, the marking is too brittle, and the durability of the marking is not sufficiently obtained.